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Moussaoui pleads not guilty in the name of Allah
Alexandria (Virginia), July 26: Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in connection with the September 11 attacks, pleaded not guilty in the name of Allah at a federal court here today.
Alexandria (Virginia), July 26: Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in connection with the September 11 attacks, pleaded not guilty in the name of Allah at a federal court here today.
"Under my obligation to my creator, Allah, to save and defend my life, I withdraw draw my guilty plea," he said. Moussaoui, clad in a green jumpsuit, entered a plea of not guilty after attempting to enter a guilty plea earlier in the day to four of the six charges against him. Any of the four could result in the death penalty.
By afternoon, he changed his plea to not guilty, based upon his reading of Islam and quoting William Shakespeare. "Hamlet said: 'To be or not to be, that is the question.' I say: to plead guilty or not to plead guilty, that is the question."
"As a Muslim, I cannot endorse anything with the condition of death," Moussaoui said.
Judge Leonie Brinkema had earlier ruled that she would accept the 34-year-old Frenchman's guilty plea, but she would require him to reveal his relationship with the network blamed for the September 11 attacks, as well as any responsibility he may have for the strikes by four hijacked aircraft that killed more than 3,000 people. "Did you agree to join members of al-Qaeda to seize an aircraft?" she asked.
Instead of answering, Moussaoui asked for a recess. When he returned, he entered the plea of not guilty.
Bureau Report
"Under my obligation to my creator, Allah, to save and defend my life, I withdraw draw my guilty plea," he said. Moussaoui, clad in a green jumpsuit, entered a plea of not guilty after attempting to enter a guilty plea earlier in the day to four of the six charges against him. Any of the four could result in the death penalty.
By afternoon, he changed his plea to not guilty, based upon his reading of Islam and quoting William Shakespeare. "Hamlet said: 'To be or not to be, that is the question.' I say: to plead guilty or not to plead guilty, that is the question."
"As a Muslim, I cannot endorse anything with the condition of death," Moussaoui said.
Judge Leonie Brinkema had earlier ruled that she would accept the 34-year-old Frenchman's guilty plea, but she would require him to reveal his relationship with the network blamed for the September 11 attacks, as well as any responsibility he may have for the strikes by four hijacked aircraft that killed more than 3,000 people. "Did you agree to join members of al-Qaeda to seize an aircraft?" she asked.
Instead of answering, Moussaoui asked for a recess. When he returned, he entered the plea of not guilty.
Bureau Report